Red Sox above .500 with 5-2 win in Texas

MILWAUKEE--A.J. Pierzynski and Mike Napoli had run-producing hits in the first inning against their former team as the Boston Red Sox took a winning average for the first time since three games into the season with a series-clinching 5-2 victory at Texas on Sunday.

Napoli put the Red Sox ahead to stay with an RBI double, two batters before Pierzynski's two-run single. Both went to Boston as free agents after being in Texas — Pierzynski was the Rangers primary catcher last season, and Napoli was there the previous two years.

John Lackey (5-2) struck out nine while allowing two runs over seven innings.

Rangers lefty Robbie Ross (1-4) made it through 6 2-3 innings and a career-high 112 pitches.

Also in the American League, Kansas City slugger Alcides Escobar hit a grand slam and Johnny Giavotella added a three-run shot to give the Royals a 9-7 comeback victory over the Seattle Mariners.

Escobar had provided a 4-0 lead for the Royals in the second with his first career home run off starter Roenis Elias. But the Mariners rallied behind two homers from Dustin Ackley and another from Kyle Seager before Kansas City took the lead in the seventh, scoring four runs off reliever Danny Farquhar (1-1).

In the National League, Pablo Sandoval and Hector Sanchez hit RBI singles in the 10th inning as the San Francisco Giants recovered to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-4 after closer Sergio Romo gave up a tying homer to Hanley Ramirez.

Brandon Hicks hit a two-run shot off Clayton Kershaw, and Buster Posey had an RBI single for the NL West leaders, who beat the defending division champions for the seventh time in 10 meetings this season.

In other NL games, the Cincinnati Reds downed the Colorado Rockies 4-1, the Atlanta Braves defeated the Chicago Cubs 5-2, the New York Mets edged the Philadelphia Phillies 5-4 over 11 innings, the San Diego Padres beat the Miami Marlins 5-4 and the St. Louis Cardinals were 6-5 winners over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

In interleague play, Mark Reynolds hit a game-ending single with two outs in the ninth inning as the Milwaukee Brewers overcame Francisco Rodriguez's first blown save of the season to beat the New York Yankees 6-5.

Derek Norris hit a pair of three-run home runs to back Scott Kazmir's fifth win as the Oakland Athletics beat the Washington Nationals 9-1 to complete a series sweep, and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Chicago White Sox 5-1.